U.S. patent number 10,620,460 [Application Number 15/889,968] was granted by the patent office on 2020-04-14 for hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Rancho El Toston, LLC. The grantee listed for this patent is Rancho El Toston, LLC. Invention is credited to Christopher R. Carabin.
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United States Patent |
10,620,460 |
Carabin |
April 14, 2020 |
Hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
Abstract
An apparatus for illuminating an area is disclosed. The
apparatus includes a frame and a spectrally-tunable lighting module
comprising one or more light-emitting diodes. The apparatus further
includes a control module with a hands-free interface that controls
a light output of the spectrally-tunable lighting module in
response to one or more lighting commands and a power module within
the frame that powers the control module and the spectrally-tunable
lighting module. A system and a method for using the apparatus are
also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Carabin; Christopher R. (San
Antonio, TX) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rancho El Toston, LLC |
San Antonio |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Rancho El Toston, LLC (San
Antonio, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
63037639 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/889,968 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20180224674 A1 |
Aug 9, 2018 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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62456042 |
Feb 7, 2017 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V
23/0471 (20130101); F21V 23/0442 (20130101); G02C
11/10 (20130101); A61C 1/088 (20130101); A61C
5/00 (20130101); G02C 7/086 (20130101); F21V
33/0004 (20130101); F21Y 2115/10 (20160801); F21Y
2113/13 (20160801); G02C 9/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G02C
1/00 (20060101); F21V 23/04 (20060101); F21V
33/00 (20060101); G02C 7/08 (20060101); G02C
11/00 (20060101); A61C 1/08 (20060101); A61C
5/00 (20170101); G02C 9/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;351/158,47,57
;361/105 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
"Bridgelux.RTM. Vesta.TM. Series Tunable White 9mm Array",
https://www.bridgelux.com/products/vesta-series, 2017, pp. 1-16.
cited by applicant .
"High Luminous Efficacy RGBW LED Emitter, LZC-03MD07", LED ENGIN,
2017, pp. 1-16. cited by applicant .
"LuxiGen Multi-Color Emitter Series LZP RGBW Flat Lens LED Emitter,
LZP04MD00", LED ENGIN, 2017, pp. 1-19. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Dang; Hung X
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kunzler Bean & Adamson
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/456,042 entitled "DYNAMIC SPECTRAL TUNING OF A
TUNABLE WHITE LIGHT ILLUMINATION SOURCE FOR DENTAL, SURGICAL, AND
MEDICAL LOUPES" filed on Feb. 7, 2017, for Christopher R. Carabin,
which is incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe comprising: a frame; a
spectrally-tunable lighting module comprising one or more
light-emitting diodes; a control module with a hands-free interface
that controls a light output of the spectrally-tunable lighting
module in response to one or more lighting commands; and a power
module within the frame that powers the control module and the
spectrally-tunable lighting module.
2. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 1, further
comprising an adjustable mount that couples the spectrally-tunable
lighting module to an upper front portion of the frame.
3. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 2, wherein the
adjustable mount comprises a plurality of vertically-oriented
interlacing plates for adjusting and fixing an elevation angle of
the spectrally-tunable lighting module with respect to the frame
and a plurality of horizontally-oriented interlacing plates for
adjusting and fixing an azimuthal angle of the spectrally-tunable
lighting module with respect to the frame.
4. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 2, wherein the
one or more light-emitting diodes are selected from the group
consisting of red, green, blue, and white.
5. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 4, wherein the
one or more light-emitting diodes comprise a plurality of diodes
arranged in an alternating color pattern.
6. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 5, further
comprising a diffuser disposed between the one or more
light-emitting diodes and the illuminated area to minimize spectral
inhomogeneities within the illuminated area.
7. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 2, wherein the
control module selects the one or more lighting commands based on
an input to the hands-free interface, the input chosen from the
group consisting of voice commands and gestures.
8. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 7, wherein the
hands-free interface comprises one or more transducers disposed
within the frame, the one or more transducers selected from the
group consisting of optical sensors, proximity sensors,
accelerometers, sound transducers, and haptic transducers.
9. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 8, wherein the
control module comprises a wireless interface configured to receive
commands from an external device chosen from the group consisting
of a computing device, a tablet, a smartphone, and a digital voice
assistant.
10. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 9, wherein, in
response to the one or more lighting commands, in addition to
controlling the light output of the spectrally-tunable lighting
module, the control module provides non-optical feedback to a
wearer.
11. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 8, wherein the
one or more lighting commands are customized based on a data from a
lighting profile communicated from a source on a network.
12. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 2, wherein the
power module comprises a battery disposed within a rear portion of
the frame, wherein the rear portion of the frame comprises a
planiform portion configured to resiliently press against a back
portion of a wearer's head during use.
13. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 12, further
comprising a charging circuit that receives power wirelessly for
recharging the battery.
14. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 1, wherein the
one or more lighting commands comprise switching between a first
lighting profile and a second lighting profile.
15. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 14, wherein
the first lighting profile is optimized for shade matching and the
second lighting profile is optimized for minimizing premature
curing of composites resulting from a light emitted by the
spectrally-tunable lighting module.
16. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 15, wherein
the second lighting profile is additionally optimized for shade
matching of dental composites to teeth.
17. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 15, wherein
the first lighting profile provides emitted light with a color
rendering index of at least 90.
18. The hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe of claim 15, wherein
the first lighting profile provides emitted light with a color
temperature in a range selected from 4500K-5500K and 5000K-6500K,
and wherein the second lighting profile provides emitted light with
a color temperature in a range selected from 1200K-2000K,
1500K-3500K, and 2200K-3900K.
19. A system comprising: a head-mounted device for illuminating an
area based on one or more predetermined lighting commands; a
hands-free interface that communicates the one or more
predetermined lighting commands for one or more procedures to be
performed to the head-mounted device; and a lighting module that
adjusts one or more spectral characteristics of light emitted by
the head-mounted device in response to receiving the one or more
predetermined lighting commands.
20. A method comprising: receiving one or more lighting commands at
a loupe via a hands-free interface for adjusting one or more color
characteristics of light emitted from a spectrally-tunable lighting
module for the loupe; communicating the one or more lighting
commands for the one or more procedures to the spectrally-tunable
lighting module of the loupe; and illuminating an area for
performing the one or more procedures in response to the one or
more lighting commands communicated to the spectrally-tunable
lighting module of the loupe.
Description
FIELD
This invention relates to loupes and more particularly relates to
loupes that provide lighting suitable for performing different
procedures such as dental and medical procedures.
BACKGROUND
Procedures in the fields of medicine and dentistry are challenging
because they often require precision and efficiency which requires
that the care providers are able to clearly see the area of the
patient involved in the procedure so that they can perform the
procedure with accuracy and manual dexterity. To see precisely and
clearly, in turn, requires suitable lighting. For example, a
dentist must try to precisely and efficiently examine and interact
with a patient's teeth. Because the patient's teeth are inside his
or her mouth, the ability of a dentist to get and maintain a clear
view of the area he or she is working on can be affected by a
number of conditions such as for example, the dentists vision, the
distance from the dentist to the patient, and the lighting
conditions.
Dental chairs are designed to allow a patient to be positioned in a
reclining position. A dentist may use a dental light mounted on an
articulated arm to allow the dentist to direct a bright light to
illuminate an area inside the patient's mouth without the light
also shining in the patient's eyes. Dentists and other care
providers such as surgeons, doctors, and other professionals may
also use loupes. Loupes are magnifying devices that a care provider
may wear to improve his or her ability to accurately view the area
involved with the procedure being performed such as for example, an
area of a patient's teeth. Some loupes are fitted with a light so
that the relevant area of the patient's mouth is illuminated and
magnified suitably throughout any dental procedure.
SUMMARY
A hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe is disclosed. A system and
method for using the hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe are
disclosed.
In at least one embodiment, the hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe
includes a frame and a spectrally-tunable lighting module
comprising one or more light-emitting diodes. In the embodiment,
the hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe further includes a control
module with a hands-free interface that controls a light output of
the spectrally-tunable lighting module in response to one or more
lighting commands and a power module within the frame that powers
the control module and the spectrally-tunable lighting module.
A system is disclosed that includes a head-mounted device for
illuminating an area based on one or more predetermined lighting
commands. In at least one embodiment, the system further includes a
hands-free interface that communicates the one or more
predetermined lighting commands for one or more procedures to be
performed to the head-mounted device and a lighting module that
adjusts one or more spectral characteristics of light emitted by
the head-mounted device in response to receiving the one or more
predetermined lighting commands.
A method is disclosed that includes, in at least one embodiment,
receiving one or more lighting commands at a loupe via a hands-free
interface for adjusting one or more color characteristics of light
emitted from a spectrally-tunable lighting module for the loupe. In
the embodiment, the method further includes communicating the one
or more lighting commands for the one or more procedures to the
spectrally-tunable lighting module of the loupe and illuminating an
area for performing the one or more procedures in response to the
one or more lighting commands communicated to the
spectrally-tunable lighting module of the loupe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily
understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly
described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings.
Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments
of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be
limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and
explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an existing
loupe;
FIG. 2A is a right-front perspective view illustrating one
embodiment of a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2B is a left-rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.
2A;
FIG. 3A is an exploded right-perspective view illustrating details
of an embodiment of an adjustable mount for a lighting module of
the embodiment of FIG. 2A;
FIG. 3B is an exploded top perspective view illustrating details of
the adjustable mount for the embodiment of the adjustable mount
illustrated in FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4 is schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a
system that uses a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe;
FIG. 5A is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example first
application for the embodiment of FIG. 2A that includes color
matching as part of a procedure;
FIG. 5B is a table illustrating a first lighting profile for the
first application illustrated in FIG. 5A;
FIG. 5C is a schematic block diagram illustrating a second
application for the embodiment of FIG. 2A that includes color
matching as part of a procedure;
FIG. 5D is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second lighting
profile for the second application illustrated in FIG. 5C;
FIG. 6A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a
light-emitting diode (LED) module that may be used in a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe;
FIG. 6B is a table illustrating one embodiment of a first lighting
profile that may be used in connection with the LED module of FIG.
6A;
FIG. 6C is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second lighting
profile that may be used in connection with the LED module of FIG.
6A;
FIG. 6D is a chart illustrating the relative impact of the first
lighting profile of FIG. 6B and the second lighting profile of FIG.
6C premature curing of a light-cured resin composite;
FIG. 7A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an
LED module that includes a checkerboard pattern of a white LEDs
with different color temperatures and red, green, and blue
LEDs;
FIG. 7B is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the white LEDs with different
color temperatures of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A;
FIG. 7C is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the red, green, and blue LEDs
of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A.
FIG. 7D is a schematic block diagram illustrating a perspective
view of the LED module of FIG. 7A with a diffuser lens;
FIG. 8A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an LED
module that includes checkerboard pattern of cool-white LEDs and
warm-white LEDs;
FIG. 8B is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the LED module of FIG. 8A;
FIG. 8C is a chart illustrating the relative impact of the cool
white LEDs and the warm white LEDs on premature curing of a
light-cured resin composite.
FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a device that
includes hands-free interfaces and touch interfaces by which a user
may communicate commands between the device and the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe; and
FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method of using the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe of FIG. 2A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an
embodiment," or similar language means that a particular feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus,
appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment,"
and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not
necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or
more but not all embodiments" unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations
thereof mean "including but not limited to" unless expressly
specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply
that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually
inclusive unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms "a,"
"an," and "the" also refer to "one or more" unless expressly
specified otherwise.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable
manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the
embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific
features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other
instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in
certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments.
These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more
fully apparent from the following description and appended claims
or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set forth
hereinafter. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art,
aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system,
method, and/or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of
the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to
herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, aspects
of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having
program code embodied thereon.
Some of the functional units described in this specification have
been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize
their implementation independence. For example, a module may be
implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits
or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips,
transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be
implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field
programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable
logic devices or the like.
Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors. An identified module of program code
may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks
of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as
an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of
an identified module need not be physically located together but
may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations
which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and
achieve the stated purpose for the module.
Indeed, a module of program code may be a single instruction, or
many instructions, and may even be distributed over several
different code segments, among different programs, and across
several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be
identified and illustrated herein within modules and may be
embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable
type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a
single data set, or may be distributed over different locations
including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least
partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.
Where a module or portions of a module are implemented in software,
the program code may be stored and/or propagated on in one or more
computer readable medium(s).
The computer readable medium may be a tangible computer readable
storage medium storing the program code. The computer readable
storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an
electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,
holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus,
or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
More specific examples of the computer readable storage medium may
include but are not limited to a portable computer diskette, a hard
disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an
erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a
portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital
versatile disc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage
device, a holographic storage medium, a micromechanical storage
device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the
context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be
any tangible medium that can contain, and/or store program code for
use by and/or in connection with an instruction execution system,
apparatus, or device.
The computer readable medium may also be a computer readable signal
medium. A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated
data signal with program code embodied therein, for example, in
baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may
take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,
electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitable
combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any
computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage
medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport program
code for use by or in connection with an instruction execution
system, apparatus, or device. Program code embodied on a computer
readable signal medium may be transmitted using any suitable
medium, including but not limited to wire-line, optical fiber,
Radio Frequency (RF), or the like, or any suitable combination of
the foregoing
In one embodiment, the computer readable medium may comprise a
combination of one or more computer readable storage mediums and
one or more computer readable signal mediums. For example, program
code may be both propagated as an electromagnetic signal through a
fiber optic cable for execution by a processor and stored on RAM
storage device for execution by the processor.
Program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present
invention may be written in any combination of one or more
programming languages, including an object-oriented programming
language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, PHP or the like and
conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C"
programming language or similar programming languages. The program
code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the
user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the
user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the
remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote
computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type
of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area
network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external
computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet
Service Provider). The computer program product may be shared,
simultaneously serving multiple customers in a flexible, automated
fashion.
The computer program product may be integrated into a client,
server, and network environment by providing for the computer
program product to coexist with applications, operating systems and
network operating systems software and then installing the computer
program product on the clients and servers in the environment where
the computer program product will function. In one embodiment
software is identified on the clients and servers including the
network operating system where the computer program product will be
deployed that are required by the computer program product or that
work in conjunction with the computer program product. This
includes the network operating system that is software that
enhances a basic operating system by adding networking
features.
Aspects of the embodiments are described below with reference to
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams of
methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products
according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood
that each block of the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or
schematic block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, can
be implemented by program code.
The program code may be provided to a processor of a
general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, sequencer, or
other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine,
such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the
computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create
means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block
or blocks.
The program code may also be stored in a computer readable medium
that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing
apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner,
such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium
produce an article of manufacture including instructions which
implement the function/act specified in the schematic flowchart
diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks.
The program code may also be loaded onto a computer, other
programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a
series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other
programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer
implemented process such that the program code which executed on
the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for
implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or
block diagram block or blocks.
The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams in
the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and
operation of possible implementations of apparatuses, systems,
methods and computer program products according to various
embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in
the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams
may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which
comprises one or more executable instructions of the program code
for implementing the specified logical function(s).
It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations,
the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted
in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved. Other steps and methods may be conceived
that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more
blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated Figures.
Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the
flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit
the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or
other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of
the depicted embodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a
waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between
enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also be noted
that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams,
and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart
diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based
systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or
combinations of special purpose hardware and program code.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable
manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the
embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific
features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other
instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in
certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments.
These features and advantages of the embodiments will become more
fully apparent from the following description and appended claims
or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set forth
hereinafter. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art,
aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system,
method, and/or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of
the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to
herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, aspects
of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer-readable medium having
program code embodied thereon.
The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams in
the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and
operation of possible implementations. It should also be noted
that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in
the block may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For
example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed
substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed
in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.
Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the
flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit
the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or
other connectors may be used to indicate only an exemplary logical
flow of the depicted embodiment.
The description of elements in each figure may refer to elements of
proceeding figures. Unless otherwise clear from context, like
numbers refer to like elements in all figures, including alternate
embodiments of like elements.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an existing
loupe 100 that incorporates many of the elements found in existing
loupes. Dental, medical, and surgical loupes, such as existing
loupe 100, can provide significant benefits by allowing procedures
to be performed under helpful magnification. However, existing
loupes may suffer from problems including lighting, mechanical,
ergonomic, hygienic, and procedural problems that interrelate and
affect the quality of dentistry, surgery, and/or medicine that is
being performed. This section describes various elements found in
existing loupe 100 that affect those interrelated problems, and
subsequent sections describe how the various embodiments of the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe described below recognize
and solve these interrelated problems. Many of the examples used
illustrate the problems with existing loupes relate to dentistry.
However, similar problems may be found in existing loupes used in
the fields of surgery and medicine.
The existing loupe 100 includes a frame 102 that holds lenses 104.
As used herein, the term "frame" refers to the entire frame
including the temples 108 on both the left and right sides. A rear
portion 110 of the temple 108 of the frame 102 is sometimes called
a temple tip in existing loupes. The existing loupe 100 may also
include magnifiers 106 (sometimes referred to as telescopes) that
attach to lenses 104. As used herein, unless otherwise clear from
context, the terms "loupe," "dental loupe," "surgical loupe,"
"medical loupe," and so forth, generally refer to the entire piece
of eyewear including the frame 102, lenses 104, magnifiers 106,
rather than referring separately to the individual telescopes or
magnifiers 106. For example, the magnifiers 106 may help the
dentist or dental hygienist inspect the inside of the patient's
mouth and focus his or her vision closely on particular areas, such
as for example, when performing an evaluation or reparative
procedure on the patient's teeth.
The existing loupe 100 may be worn substantially the same way that
eyeglasses may be worn, with temples 108 that rest on the dentist's
ears and a rear portion 110 of the temples curving behind the
dentist's ears. The frame 102 of the existing loupe 100 has a
bridge 112 and/or nose pads 114 that rest upon the dentist's nose
substantially as eyeglasses do.
The existing loupe 100 may also include a light 116 that attaches
to a frame 102 using a mount 118. The existing loupe 100 may also
include a cable 120 that may connect to a power source such as a
battery pack (not shown) which the dentist puts in a pocket so that
the light 116 has sufficient power to illuminate an area in the
patient's mouth during a procedure to be performed by the
dentist.
Some dental loupes such as the existing loupe 100 depicted in FIG.
1 may include a small rechargeable battery (not shown) inside a
housing 122 for the light 116. In such configurations, the cable
120 may be used to recharge the battery. However, some procedures
are time-consuming so having sufficient battery life to maintain
suitable illumination throughout the procedure can be
challenging.
Moreover, some procedures include multiple steps that have
different lighting requirements. For example, some composite resins
used in dental work are cured or hardened by application of light
in the blue range of visible light or by other short wavelength
light. Typically, this curing is performed by handheld application
of a high-intensity curing light.
Although many dentists and other care providers use loupes similar
to existing loupe 100, a number of interrelated problems with
loupes such as existing loupe 100 have been recognized by the
present inventor, which problems are addressed by the various
embodiments of a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe which is
described in more detail below.
It may be useful to explain in more detail the meaning of
particular terms as they are used in this application.
As used herein the term "hands-free" means configured to be useful
to perform a procedure without substantial functional contact
between the loupe wearer's hands and the loupe during the
performance of the procedure. For example, a loupe that is capable
of interacting with the wearer by means of voice or other sounds
may be considered a hands-free loupe. Similarly, a loupe may
interact based on hand or finger gestures and still be considered a
hands-free loupe, provided that such hands or finger gestures do
not require substantial functional contact between the loupe
wearer's hands and the loupe during the performance of the
procedure. By contrast, if for example, during a performance of a
procedure, the wearer needed to manually turn a dial in order to
change the intensity of the lighting or to flip a filter to change
the color of the lighting, a loupe that utilized such manipulations
during the performance of the procedure would not be considered
hands-free. A "procedure" as used herein may include a multistep
procedure or may include multiple procedures.
While many of the procedures described herein refer to dental
procedures, medical procedures, surgical procedures, and the like,
other procedures may be performed using a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe. For example, art restoration
procedures, jewelry procedures, counterfeit detection procedures,
and so forth may all benefit from the use of a hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe in particular because they all
involve the use of both hands during the procedure and the need to
adjust lighting conditions during the procedure according to one or
more lighting profiles.
However, a "hands-free" loupe could accommodate manual adjustments
or interactions that utilize substantial functional contact between
the loupe wearer's hands and the loupe prior to or after the
performance of the procedure. For example, a user of the loupe
might use his or her hands to place the hands-free loupe upon his
or her head prior to performing a procedure. Similarly, hands-free
loupe might utilize substantial functional contact if it is being
sterilized before or after a procedure or if it is being configured
or calibrated before or after a procedure.
The term "spectrally-tunable" with reference to lighting, means
configurable to accommodate changes in spectral characteristics.
For example, a lighting module for a loupe that is configurable to
accommodate changes in the emission spectrum or intensity of light
having different wavelengths would be considered
spectrally-tunable. Similarly, a lighting module for a loupe that
is configurable to emit various combinations of light having
different wavelengths would also be considered spectrally-tunable.
By contrast, a lighting module that is only capable of emitting
light having a single wavelength would not be considered
spectrally-tunable merely because it is configurable to accommodate
a change from an "off" state to an "on" state.
The term "smart loupe" means a loupe that is configurable to
communicate, process, respond and otherwise interact with the
wearer using a processor, logic circuitry, or similar electronic
functions. For example, a loupe that includes a microcontroller and
electrical circuitry that facilitate communications by gesture or
voice, communication, and processing of data, and/or determining
and responding to internal or external conditions would be
considered a "smart loupe." By contrast, a loupe with lighting that
provides responses to ordinary mechanical and electrical controls
such as turning on when a switch is moved, or a button is pressed
would not be considered a "smart loupe" on the basis of it
responding to for example a gesture that contacts and presses an
on/off button.
However, this does not mean that a smart loupe is devoid of novel
mechanical features particularly when such mechanical features
enhance the interactive "smart loupe" features. So, for example, a
loupe with mechanical features configurable to promote comfortable
wearing may enhance the smart and/or hands-free capabilities of the
loupe by extending the duration in which the loupe may be
comfortably worn while responding as a "smart loupe" to various
"hands-free" communications with a care provider.
Referring now to FIGS. 2A, 2B, FIG. 2A is a right-front perspective
view illustrating one embodiment of a hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 for illuminating an area in accordance with one or
more embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a left-rear
perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2A.
At least one embodiment, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart
loupe 200 includes a frame 202 that may have a similar form to that
of a frame for eyeglasses where the frame includes a front portion
252 and temples 208 that include a rear portion 210. In some
embodiments, the portions of the frame 202 including portions of
the temples 208 may include interior compartments or channels that
are configurable to enclose various components and connections of
the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200.
In some embodiments, the frame may be formed of materials that
exhibit a certain amount of elasticity so that the temples 208 of
the frame 202 gently but resiliently press against the wearer
(e.g., dentist or hygienist, etc.) during use. As used herein, the
term "frame" as in frame 202 refers to the entire frame and not
merely to that portion of the frame in front that holds the lenses
204. In other words, the frame 202 includes the temples 208 on both
the left and the rear sides including both the front portion 252
and the rear portion 210 of each temple 208.
In some embodiments, materials for the frame 202 may be made of
plastics such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate,
or blended nylon such as polyamides, co-polyamides, and the like.
In other embodiments, the frames may be made of metal such as
titanium, beryllium, stainless steel, aluminum, and the like.
Moreover, the frame 202 may be laminated and may include a
combination of various materials. In some embodiment, the
combination of various materials may be used. For example, in some
embodiments, metal components may be used on an interior portion of
the frames 202 to provide a degree of RF shielding while plastic
components may be used on the exterior portion of the frames 202 to
allow RF signals to easily be emitted away from the wearer.
In some embodiments, the frame 202 a rear portion 210 of the frame
202 (e.g., a rear portion of the temples 208 on both the left and
right sides) may have a planiform portion 226 that has a
significant surface area and is configured to resiliently press
against a back portion of a wearer's head during use. It may be
noted that the surface area of the planiform portion 226 may be
significantly larger than the surface area of the rear portion 110
of the existing loupe 100 as shown in FIG. 1.
In some loupes, such as existing loupe 100, a substantial portion
of the total weight of the frame 102 may be supported by the bridge
112 for the nose pads 114. This may be the source of several
problems such as soreness or irritation due to most of the weight
pressing against the wearer's nose.
Moreover, the uneven distribution of weight may cause the existing
loupe 100 to slip or shift position. This can be a problem because
it may require the dentist to re-adjust the loupe thus interrupting
a dental procedure and requiring the dentist to touch the frame 102
which may contaminate the dentist's fingers or thumb. It may also
reduce the duration of time that a dentist may comfortably wear the
existing loupe 100.
Thus, in embodiments in which the large surface area of the
planiform portion 226 of the frame 202 is configured to press
resiliently against a back portion of a wearer's head during use,
the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 helps solve the
weight distribution problem of the existing loupe 100 and thus
significantly improves the hands-free operational nature of the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 during
procedures.
Moreover, in some embodiments, the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 includes a power module 242 that comprises a
battery 246 within a rear portion 210 of the frame 202. In some
embodiments, a battery 246 may be included in each rear portion 210
on the left and right sides of the frame. In some embodiments, the
battery may be a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion or
lithium polymer ion battery/In some embodiments, the power module
242 includes a charging circuit 248 that receives power wirelessly
for recharging the battery 246.
For example, the charging circuit 248 may include one or more
inductive or resonant coils that provide current when placed in a
charging field 426 emitted by one or more inductive or resonant
coils in a wireless charger 424. The charging circuit 248 may also
include active components and printed circuit board components. One
source for a wireless charging module that includes a charging
coil, printed circuit board, and active components is Integrated
Device Technology, Inc of San Jose, Calif. USA who distributes
their products in the US through distributors such as for example
Mouser Electronics.
One of the benefits of a hands-free loupe such as hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 is that the hands-free nature of
the loupe minimizes the risk of contamination of the loupe surface
by hand-borne pathogens. A related benefit of the power module 242
including the battery 246 which is a rechargeable battery and a
charging circuit 248 that is wireless is that without a need for a
battery door to exchange a used battery, the frame 202 to be
designed to minimize or even eliminate openings, cracks, crevices,
etc., which may also harbor pathogens. Thus, in some embodiments,
the hands-free spectrally-tunable loupe may be less likely to be
contaminated and may be easier to decontaminate because the
batteries may be charged without openings are connections typically
associated with non-rechargeable or recharging via and wires.
It may be noted that although battery 246 adds weight to the frame
202, the frame 202 includes the planiform portion 226 that presses
against the back portion of the wearer's head during use and
supports the weight directly on a greater surface area of the
wearer's head. Thus, a significant portion of the weight of the
battery 246 (or batteries) is substantially distributed over a
broad area of the planiform portion 226 rather than being
concentrated at a particular point of the frame such as the bridge
212 or a portion of the temples 208 that rests upon a wearer's
ears.
In at least one embodiment, the frame 202 further includes a
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 that includes one or more
light emitting diodes. More details about components and
characteristics of various embodiments of the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 are described below with respect to FIGS. 5B,
5D, 6A-6D, 7A-7D, 8A-8C. In some embodiments, the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 is configured to be
spectrally-tunable by adjusting various electrical parameters
applied to that one or more LEDs included in the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216.
In some embodiments, one or more of the control module 234, the
power module 242, and the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216
may be a distributed module. For example, the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 may include an LED module enclosed within a
housing 222 and may further include an LED driver (not shown in
FIGS. 2A-2B) enclosed within a different area of the frame 202 such
as for example a front portion of the temple 208.
It may be noted that in some embodiments, various modules or other
components of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200,
may be further distributed in the various compartments at the front
portion 252 or rear portion 210 of the temples 208 on both the left
side and right side of the frame 202 and/or in the housing 222.
Various components distributed within the frame 202 may be
electrically connected by wires or other connectors that also are
enclosed within the frame 202.
In at least one embodiment, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart
loupe 200 further comprises an adjustable mount 218 that couples
the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 to an upper front
portion of the frame 202. The adjustable mount 218 may be
configured to couple the housing 222 for the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 to a portion of the frame 202 so that the
direction of the light that is emitted from the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 may be precisely adjusted to align with the
focus point of any magnifiers 206 that are attached to the lenses
204.
Referring now to FIGS. 3A, 3B, FIG. 3A is an exploded
right-perspective view illustrating details of an adjustable mount
218 for the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 of the
embodiment of FIG. 2A. FIG. 3B is an exploded top perspective view
illustrating details of the adjustable mount 218 for the embodiment
of the adjustable mount illustrated in FIG. 3A.
As described above, one of the problems with existing loupes such
as existing loupe 100 may exhibit is a misalignment between the
focal point of light emitted by the light 116 and the focal point
of the magnifiers 106. For example, because the weight of the
existing loupe 100 may cause a dentist to reposition or otherwise
adjust the existing loupes 100 as he or she wears it, the mount 118
may be jostled or bumped during the process. Often a mount, such as
the mount 118, may be adjustable in a way that leaves it subject to
misalignment if it is bumped or nudged inadvertently. This can
create the problem of having to realign the direction of the light
emitted from light 116 and the focal point of the magnifiers 106 to
correct for such misalignment.
Moreover, the degrees of freedom and the direction of adjustment of
a mount, such as the mount 118, may make it difficult to precisely
align the direction of the light being emitted from light 116 and
the focal point of a magnifiers 106. For example, if mount 118 is a
type of ball joint, it may be adjusted in any direction, but such
freedom of movement also makes it more challenging for a person
making the adjustment to adjust the light to point in the correct
vertical and horizontal angles.
The adjustable mount 218 may help solve problems associated with
the mount 118 of existing loupes 100 by providing an adjustable
mount 218 that allows the light emitted by the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 to be "sighted in" to a correctly aligned
elevation angle (e.g., up or down) and then separately "sighted in"
to a correctly aligned azimuthal angle (e.g., side to side).
In at least one embodiment, the adjustable mount 218 comprises a
plurality of vertically-oriented interlacing plates for adjusting
and fixing an elevation angle of the spectrally-tunable lighting
module with respect to the frame 202 and a plurality of
horizontally-oriented interlacing plates for adjusting and fixing
an azimuthal angle of the spectrally-tunable lighting module with
respect to the frame 202.
Because the adjustable mount 218 comprises several sets of
interlacing plates (e.g., 342, 344, 346, 348) the interlacing of
the plates increases the number and area of coupling surfaces of
the housing hinge 232 that robustly maintain the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 in a predetermined alignment relative to the
frame and to the focal point of the magnifiers 206. For example, by
compressing the multiple surfaces of the interlacing plates 342 of
the housing hinge 232 together against the interlacing plates 344
of the coupler 230 a greater degree of stability against movement
is provided with less tightening pressure being applied by the
tightener 334 or tighteners at each end of the shaft 336.
The shaft 336 may be any suitable fastener that can be configured
to pass through holes in the horizontally-oriented interlaced
plates of the housing hinge 232 and the coupler 230. For example,
in one embodiment, the tightener 334 below the housing hinge 232
may be a knurled head of a shoulder bolt and the tightener 334
above the housing hinge 232 may be a knurled thumb nut so that the
dentist or another loupe wearer may easily tighten the housing
module at a preferred azimuthal angle (e.g., so that it is
maintained in position without moving from side to side).
In at least one embodiment, the coupler 230 also includes two
interlacing plates 346 that are vertically oriented which interlace
with three interlacing plates 348 of the frame hinge 228 which are
also vertically oriented which extend forward from a front portion
of frame 202. In at least one embodiment, a shaft 338 passes
horizontally through the interlacing plates 348 of the frame hinge
228 that are interlaced with the interlacing plates 346 of the
coupler 330.
In some embodiments, the tighteners 334, 340 may be knurled or
otherwise configured to be easily tightened by hand. In some
embodiments, tighteners may further include a type of head or nut
that may be tightened by use of a screwdriver, a hex key, a
star-shaped driver, or any tightening tool known in the art. By
providing tighteners (e.g., 342, 344, 346, 348) that can be
tightened first by hand and then further tightened with the use of
a tool, the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 may be more
securely maintained in alignment.
It may be recognized by one of the art that other plate
configurations involving different numbers of interlacing plates
for each of the components that make up the adjustable mount 218
may be useful in accordance with the embodiments described and
claimed herein. Thus, as described above, the interlacing plates,
e.g., 342, 344, 346, 348 of the adjustable mount 218 contribute to
the hands-free nature because any adjustment can be made and
secured prior to the procedure. This provides a way to eliminate
contact between the dentist's hands in the loupe during the
procedure. Other ways that the spectrally-tunable loupe is made
hands-free are explained in more detail in the sections that
follow.
FIG. 4 is schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a
system 400 for illuminating an area during a procedure (e.g., a
dental procedure). In at least one embodiment, the system 400
includes a head-mounted device 201 for illuminating an area based
on one or more predetermined lighting commands. The system 400
further includes a hands-free interface 236 that communicates the
one or more predetermined lighting commands for one or more
procedures to be performed to the head-mounted device 201 for
illuminating the area.
In the at least one embodiment, the system 400 also includes an LED
module 404 that adjusts one or more spectral characteristics of
light emitted by the head-mounted device 201 in response to the
spectrally tunable lighting module 216 receiving the one or more
predetermined lighting commands.
In at least one embodiment, the head-mounted device 201 for
illuminating an area (e.g., an area within a patient's mouth) may
be a loupe, a headlamp, a visor, that adjusts one or more spectral
characteristics of light emitted by the apparatus 200 based on one
or more predetermined lighting commands. For example, a first
lighting command may be to shine a white light on the area during a
first part of a procedure that requires high-intensity light or
significant color matching (also referred to as shade matching). A
second lighting command may be to shine a light that minimizes
premature curing of a composite resin during a second part of the
procedure.
The head-mounted device 201 may include any of the structures
described above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 may further include
additional structures described in this section with respect to
FIG. 4. For example, as described above, in at least one
embodiment, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200
includes a control module 234, a spectrally-tunable lighting module
216, and a power module 242.
In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may form part of,
or be disposed within the head-mounted device 201. In other
embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may be included with an
external device 420. For example, an external device 420 such as a
computing device 422, a smartphone 428, and a digital voice
assistant 472 may include a hands-free interface 236 in place of or
in addition to the hands-free interface 236 of the head-mounted
device 201.
Additionally, in some embodiments, the head-mounted device 201 may
have one of the various forms of being positioned on a wearer's
head. For example, in some embodiments, instead of a frame 202 that
is like an eyeglass frame, the head-mounted device 201 may comprise
a visor, a hat, or a headlamp maintained in position by one or more
straps.
In at least one embodiment, the control module 234 may include a
microcontroller 238 which may include internal memory for storing
and using data and program code. In some embodiments, the data and
program code may be accessed by the microcontroller 238 from an
external memory 250.
In at least one embodiment, the control module 234 may include a
hands-free interface 236 that enables a wearer to communicate with
and control the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200
without necessitating any contact of the dentist's hands. In at
least one embodiment, the hands-free interface 236 comprises one or
more transducers disposed within the frame 202, where the one or
more transducers are selected from the group consisting of optical
sensors, proximity sensors, motion sensors, accelerometers, sound
transducers, and haptic transducers.
For example, referring to also to FIG. 2A, the hands-free interface
236 may connect to a sensor 240 that senses a distance between the
frame 202 and a patient. For example, in some embodiments, a
lighting command is communicated through the sensor 240 to the
control module 234 which then communicates to turn off the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 if the sensed distance
between the dentist or doctor and a patient exceeds a predetermined
distance threshold for more than a predetermined period of time.
This distance-based timeout function saves power and avoids
unnecessary shining of light if for example, the dentist is looking
away from the patient at a display screen or if the dentist has
reached a point in the procedure where he or she doesn't need the
spectrally-tunable lighting module to remain on. In some
embodiments, the sensor 240 may include an infrared light emitter
and an infrared light detector to measure a reflected distance.
In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may include a
sensor 240 such as the infrared type sensor described above.
Although the sensor 240 is depicted as sensing phenomena that occur
in the front of the frame 202, the sensor 240 may, or even another
sensor 240 may be disposed to sense phenomena occurring at the side
of the temple 208 or in any direction. In other embodiments, the
hands-free interface 236 may include a motion detecting sensor that
that senses gestures by sensing changes caused by the gestures in
reflected infrared emissions, or in capacitance, or in
inductance.
For example, the hands-free interface 236 make sense motion of a
dentist's arm or wrist gesture such as a wave or a simulated
flipping of a virtual anti-curing filter all without requiring any
contact between the dentist's hands and the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200. For example, a dentist could
perform a first gesture that simulates flipping an anti-curing
filter up for a part of a procedure that utilizes white light and
further perform a second gesture that simulates flipping an
anti-curing filter down for a part of the procedure that
traditional utilizes light that is filtered to prevent premature
curing. It may be noted by one of ordinary skill in the art that
the sensor 240 or sensors may operate effectively to detect a
predetermined direction of motion even though such motion may be
performed with significant variation.
In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 may include a
sound transducer such as a microphone that detects voice commands
from the dentist. For example, in such embodiments, a dentist may
vocally give a first lighting command by saying a word such as
"white" in order to perform a part of a procedure that requires
white light. The dentist may further vocally give a second command
by saying the word such as "orange" in order to perform a part of a
procedure that historically has required an orange or amber colored
anti-curing filter. Moreover, because the control module 234, like
any of the modules described herein, may be a distributed module,
in some embodiments, the control module 234 may include one or more
hands-free interfaces 236 that are located outside the frame
202.
In some embodiments, in response to receiving one or more lighting
commands, in addition to controlling the light output of the
spectrally-tunable lighting module 216, the control module 234
provides non-optical feedback to a wearer, meaning aware of the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200. For example, a
dentist may give a lighting command to emit light that minimizes
premature curing of composite resins. In response, the control
module 234 may provide non-optical feedback to the dentist such as
for example, a tone, a voice message, or a vibration via a haptic
transducer.
In some embodiments, the hands-free interface 236 or interfaces may
be located within an external device 420. smartphone 428, and/or
digital voice assistant 472. These devices may already include
hardware and software that are optimized to detect, process, and
communicate commands based on voice input. Thus, in such
embodiments, one or more lighting commands may be communicated in a
hands-free mode by a dentist saying a lighting command into an
external device 420 such as for example, a computing device 422
(which may be a tablet, a laptop, a computer, a dental instrument,
a medical instrument), a smartphone 428, or a digital voice
assistant 472.
In some embodiments, the control module 234 includes a wireless
interface 408 that is configured to receive commands from an
external device 420 that is chosen from the group consisting of a
computing device 422 (e.g., tablet, laptop computer, notebook
computer, dental instrument, medical instrument,), a smartphone
428, and a digital voice assistant 472.
In some embodiments, lighting commands communicated via the
hands-free interfaces 236 of the external device 420 may be
communicated to the control module 234 of the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 via one or more wireless
connections 410.
In some embodiments, the wireless connection 410 may be via a
mobile telephone network. The wireless connection 410 may also
employ a Wi-Fi network based on any one of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards.
Alternatively, the wireless connection 410 may be a BLUETOOTH.RTM.
connection. In addition, the wireless connection 410 may employ a
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) communication including RFID
standards established by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC), the American Society for Testing and
Materials.RTM. (ASTM.RTM.), the DASH7.TM. Alliance, and
EPCGlobal.TM..
Alternatively, the wireless connection 410 may employ a ZigBee.RTM.
connection based on the IEEE 802 standard. In one embodiment, the
wireless connection 410 may employ a Z-Wave.RTM. connection as
designed by Sigma Designs.RTM.. Alternatively, the wireless
connection 410 may employ an ANT.RTM. and/or ANT+.RTM. connection
as defined by Dynastream.RTM. Innovations Inc. of Cochrane,
Canada.
The wireless connection 410 may be an infrared connection including
connections conforming at least to the Infrared Physical Layer
Specification (IrPHY) as defined by the Infrared Data
Association.RTM. (IrDA.RTM.). Alternatively, the wireless
connection 410 may be a cellular telephone network communication.
All standards and/or connection types include the latest version
and revision of the standard and/or connection type as of the
filing date of this application.
It may be recognized by one of ordinary skill of the art that
hardware and software for many existing wireless connection types,
such as for example, Bluetooth.RTM., may be readily obtained both
within an external device 420 such as for example, a computing
device 422, a smartphone 428, and/or a digital voice assistant
472.
In some embodiments, the hardware and software within the external
device 420 form part of a distributed control module 234 that also
includes some components that may be at least partially enclosed
within the frame 202. In some embodiments, the external components
of control module 234 may be connected to parts of the control
module 234 inside the frame 202 via the wireless connections
410.
Moreover, in some embodiments, the wireless interface 408 and
wireless connections 410 allow the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe to obtain parameters for the general profile 466 or
general profiles from sources external to the frame 202. For
example, in some embodiments, the one or more lighting commands may
be customized based on data from a lighting profile communicated
from a source on a network such as for example, a user account or
user profile. Other network sources may include, for example, an
LED manufacturer's site, a composite resin vendor site, a dental
practice group site, and so forth.
In some embodiments, one or more lighting commands given by the
care provider are customized based on a data from one or more first
lighting profiles e.g., 518 and one or more second lighting
profiles 520 associated with the general profile 466 for a
particular loupe and/or a particular user which in some
embodiments, may be communicated to the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe over a network 462 and/or via
wireless connections 410.
For example, the control module 234 may communicate via wireless
interface 408 over wireless connections 410 to an access point 468
that communicates over network 462 to a server 464 to retrieve a
general profile 466 that includes lighting related data for a for a
particular type of type and shade of crown resin from a
manufacturer's web site.
The ability to dynamically update a lighting profile e.g., 518, 520
within a general profile 466 via wireless connections 410 to
information sources outside the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart
loupe 200 significantly enhances the dental lighting technology by
enabling access to a significantly expanded number of predetermined
parameters that optimize the dentist's ability to perform various
parts of procedures requiring different lighting commands.
Additional details regarding the types of information that may be
included in first lighting profile in the second lighting profile
within a general profile 466 are described with additional details
below.
Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, FIG. 5A is a
schematic block diagram illustrating an example first application
for the embodiment of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
200 of FIG. 2A that includes color matching as part of a procedure.
FIG. 5B is a table illustrating a first lighting profile 518 for
the first application 500 illustrated in FIG. 5A.
In some embodiments, a care provider gives one or more lighting
commands that include switching between a first profile, e.g., the
first lighting profile 518 and a second lighting profile 520 based
on a particular application or procedure. For example, in at least
one embodiment, the first lighting profile 518 may be optimized for
color matching and the second lighting profile 520 may be optimized
for minimizing premature curing of composites from light emitted by
the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216.
In some embodiments, the first lighting profile 518 may provide
emitted light with a color temperature in a range selected from
4500K-5500K and 5000K-6500K, and the second lighting profile 520
may provide emitted light with a color temperature in a range
selected from 1200K-2000K, 1500K-3500K, and 2200K-3900K. A
predetermined color temperature may be selected from within a given
range in accordance with color matching shade matching and/or a
likelihood of premature curing due to a given color temperature of
light for a given composite resin.
Some applications utilize precise lighting for a particular
purpose. For example, a first application 500 may be a color
matching application for teeth (sometimes referred to as tooth
shade matching). In the first application 500, a dentist may
compare the appearance of a tooth 502 with a crown 504 which will
be installed as part of the dental procedure. Suitable lighting
under a variety of conditions is important for such
applications.
For example, the shade of the crown 504 may appear to match the
shade of the tooth 502 in bright lighting that simulates natural
sunlight. However, the shade of the crown 504 may exhibit a slight
mismatch under different lighting such as for example, lighting
that simulates cool white indoor fluorescent lighting. Thus, for
any first application 500 (or procedure), it may be beneficial to
predetermine a first lighting profile 518 that is suitable for the
first application 500.
In at least one embodiment, a general profile 466 may include a
first lighting profile 518 that include various types of lighting
related data. For example, the first lighting profile 518 may
include entity data 506 that provides information about a
particular user such as the user's name or the name of the
practice. The entity data 506 may also information indicating that
the values or the profile are associated with a particular
manufacturer of dental materials or materials for other types of
procedures. This type of entity data may help standardize lighting
conditions for a particular practice group when performing a
particular procedure.
In some environments, the first lighting profile 518 may include
application data 508 that identifies lighting parameters or other
information related to a particular application. For example, the
first lighting profile 518 may include application data 508 that
specifies that the color temperature for a particular color
matching application should be set to a particular value in the
range of 5000 to 6500K.
The application data 508 may further indicate that the color
rendering index of the lighting for the particular application
should be 90 or higher. Many types of application data could be
included in the first lighting profile, or the lighting profile
could be very simple with only a few parameters that change in
response to one or more lighting commands.
FIG. 5C is a schematic block diagram illustrating a second
application 530 for the embodiment of FIG. 2A where curing of a
composite resin 590 is intended to be performed by application of a
curing light 588. However, premature curing of the composite resin
590 as a result of light emitted by the spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216 is intended to be minimized. Unlike an amalgam filling
which has a metallic appearance, a composite resin 590 may be used
so as to more closely match the color of a tooth 522 to be
filled.
Some composite resins 590 used in dental work are cured or hardened
by application of light in the blue range of visible light or by
other short wavelength light. If the spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216 of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200
emits blue light having a similar wavelength to that of the curing
light, some portions of the composite resin 590 may experience some
degree of premature curing which may weaken or otherwise impair the
quality of the filling. Therefore, in some embodiments, the first
lighting profile 518 optimized for dental color matching and the
second lighting profile 520 is optimized for minimizing premature
curing of dental composites resulting from the light emitted by the
spectrally-tunable lighting module.
FIG. 5D is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second lighting
profile 520 for the second application 530 illustrated in FIG. 5C
may include the same kinds of information of the first lighting
profile 518 or may include some types of information not included
in the first lighting profile 518.
One benefit of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe is
that, in contrast to the anti-curing filter 124 of the existing
loupe 100 which typically has an orange or amber filter that must
be manually adjusted or flipped, the hands-free spectrally-tunable
smart loupe 200 offers an infinite commendation of choices may be
configured to provide suitable lighting for any procedure or group
of procedures.
Some embodiment, the first lighting profile 518 and second lighting
profile 520 include device data 510, 526 that may indicate for
example, various types of devices being used in the hands-free
spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 and parameters that may be
dynamically changed as a care provider switches from a first
lighting profile 518 to second lighting profile 520. For example,
in the impediments illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5D, the type of LED
module 404 used in the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216
includes a combination of multiple light-emitting diodes selected
from red, green, blue, and white (RGBW) LEDs.
In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5B, in the first lighting
profile 518, all of the red, green, blue, and white LED's are
turned on to a high level, e.g., substantially fully turned on.
Based on a lighting command given by a care provider and further
based on application data 524 and/or device data 526 in the second
lighting profile 520, the LED module 404 may emit light having a
low color temperature, e.g., 3500K to avoid premature curing of the
composite resin 590.
In some embodiments, a similar lighting output may be emitted by
the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 using a different type
of LED module that may include cool white LEDs `C` and warm white
LEDs `W.` In this example in the first lighting profile 518 the
cool white LED is turned on full and the warm white LED is turned
on low and when hands-free command is given to switch to the second
lighting profile 520 the cool white LED module is turned on to a
low level or turned completely off in the warm white LED module is
turned to a high level.
In some embodiments, the device data 510, 526 may include
information about the type of LED driver used to drive the LED
inputs. Example some LED drivers use a constant current to drive
LEDs while other LED drivers use constant voltage. In some
embodiments, technical details of device data 510, 526 need not be
provided by or understood by the care provider using the loupe but
the general profile 466 and/or the first lighting profile 518 and
the second lighting profile 520 may include device data 510, 566
that is accessed by the microcontroller 238.
Although various types of LED modules have been developed for some
types of lighting applications, there are certain unique lighting
requirements for certain applications such as dentistry. Without
the limitations of only two choices (filter or no filter) presented
by the existing anti-curing filter 124, significant improvement may
be achieved hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 over the
existing loupe 100. For example, in some applications such as the
second application 530 illustrated in FIG. 5C, it may be desirable
to have lighting that improves the ability to determine color or
shade matching of the composite resin 590 to the tooth 522.
Referring now to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D with references to
elements shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 4. FIG. 6A is a schematic block
diagram of one embodiment of an LED module 602 that may be used in
a hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe. In at least one
embodiment, the LED module 602 comprises a red LED `R,` a green LED
`G,` a blue LED `B,` and a white LED `W.` Various combinations of
the R, `G,` `B,` and W elements may be turned on or off with
varying levels of intensity in order to provide light suitable for
a particular application. In some embodiments, using the LED module
602 with one LED per color provides cost benefits as well as
simplified driver and control design. It may be noted that with
respect to FIG. 6A the white LED `W` may be a cool white LED, or a
neutral white LED, or a warm white LED depending on the particular
intended application. In some embodiments, a neutral white LED
having a color temperature of about 5000K may be suitable.
One example of an LED module 602 having RGBW LEDs is the XLamp.RTM.
XM-L color LED module available from Cree at 4600 Silicon Drive,
Durham, N.C., 27703 USA. In some embodiments, such an LED module
602 may be effective in providing suitable lighting for
applications such as general dental color matching in accordance
with a first lighting profile 604 as shown in FIG. 6B.
FIG. 6B is a table illustrating one embodiment of a first lighting
profile 604 that may be used in connection with the LED module 602
of FIG. 6A. For purposes of simplification, only certain values of
device data 610a are shown in the first lighting profile 604. A
first lighting command 606a may be the word "white." In some
embodiments, the first lighting command 606a may be a voice command
received through the hands-free interface 236 shown in FIGS. 2A,
2B, and 4 or through the wireless interface 408 shown in FIG. 4,
including via the hands-free interface 236 on associated with the
external device 420 which may be for example, tablet 422,
smartphone 428, and digital voice assistant 472.
In some embodiments, in response to the first lighting command 606a
the control module 234 communicates to the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216 such that the LED driver 406 drives each of the
red LED `R`, the green LED `G`, the blue LED `B`, and the white LED
`W` to a high level of intensity in order to illuminate an area for
a procedure to be performed with lighting suitable for color
matching and/or general examination and procedures.
FIG. 6C is a table illustrating one embodiment of a second lighting
profile 608 that may be used in connection with the LED module of
FIG. 6A. When a care provider communicates a second lighting
command 606b (e.g., the word "filter") which may be communicated
verbally or electronically through the hands-free interface 236 or
the wireless interface 408 as described above, the control module
234 may respond by communicating to the spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216 such that the LED driver 406 drives the red LED `R` and
the green LED `G` each to a high level of intensity. It may be
noted by one of ordinary skill that what constitutes a high level,
mid-level, or low-level may depend upon the particular application
including color rendering index and anti-curing characteristics
desired.
FIG. 6D is a chart 612 illustrating the relative impact of the
first lighting profile of FIG. 6B and the second lighting profile
of FIG. 6C premature curing of a light-cured resin composite. In
one experiment, from which the chart 612 is derived, a layer of
dental composite material, such as composite resin 590 as shown in
FIG. 5C, was smeared on a glass slide.
Inside a dark room, the LED module 602, an RGBW-type LED module,
was mounted 14 inches above the glass slide. All four LEDs (`R,`
`G,` `B,` `W`) were turned on to a high level to provide white
light. A first time tRGBW to complete curing (i.e., solidification)
of the composite resin 590 after exposure to the white light of the
first lighting profile 604 was observed to be 110 seconds.
A second slide with a similar amount of composite resin 590 was
provided under the same conditions and communication of a second
lighting command e.g., 606b "filter" was simulated by turning off
the blue `B` and the white `W` LEDs to provide an amber or orange
appearing light from the mixing of the red and green light emitted
by the red LED `R` and the blue LED `B`, with a similar color to
that of an anti-curing filter such as the anti-curing filter 124
shown in FIG. 1. A second time tRG to complete curing (i.e.,
solidification) of the composite resin 590 was observed to be 480
seconds.
The results show that lighting commands to turn off the blue LED
`B` and the white LED `W` as shown in the second lighting profile
608 significantly reduces the degree of premature curing resulting
from a light emitted by LED module 602. One may note that under
normal lighting conditions encountered in, for example, a dental
procedure, ambient light or other light may modify the relative
impact of the first lighting profile 604 and the second lighting
profile 608.
In other embodiments, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
200 may include other types of spectrally-tunable lighting modules
216 that include an LED module 404 that has an alternative
combination of LEDs from those depicted here to emitted light with
different tunable characteristics.
FIG. 7A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of an
LED module 702 that includes a checkerboard pattern of a white LEDs
with different color temperatures and red, green, and blue LEDs. In
some embodiments, multiple diodes may be arranged in an alternating
color pattern. For example, the LED module 702 illustrates one
alternating color pattern where a top center LED is a neutral white
LED `N,` a middle center LED is a blue LED `B` and a bottom center
LED is a neutral white LED `N.` Thus, the center column of LED
module 702 depicts a pattern that alternates between a white
colored LED `N` and a single colored LED (e.g., blue LED `B`).
In some embodiments, the alternating pattern of LEDs enables
effective distribution of emitted light having a predetermined
range of color temperatures. In some embodiments, a first lighting
profile similar to first lighting profile 518 described in FIG. 5B
provides emitted light with a color rendering index of greater than
90. In general, light emitted by a mixture of light from single
color LEDs e.g., `R`, `B`, G has a much lower coloring rendering
index than light emitted from `C`, `N`, and `W` LEDs which have
been manufactured or screened to meet a predetermined minimum CRI
of 90.
FIG. 7B is a graph 704 comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the white LEDs with different
color temperatures of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A. In
some embodiments, light emitted from the first lighting profile,
e.g., 518 is selected by a turning on combinations of `C,` `N,` and
`W` white LEDs with predetermined intensities.
FIG. 7C is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the red, green, and blue LEDs
of the LED module illustrated in FIG. 7A. In some embodiments, the
output of any individual LED or any combination of LEDs may be
determined by driving a group of specific individual LEDs to have a
light output from 0.0 to 1.0 in accordance with a predetermined
lighting profile.
For example, if the first lighting profile, e.g., 518 is optimized
for shade matching of a crown to a patient's tooth, `R`, G, and `B`
LEDs shown in FIG. 7C may be turned completely off in the first
lighting profile 518 because the light emitted by mixing the `R`,
`G`, and `B` LEDs may fall below a predetermined threshold for
CRI.
In some embodiments, the second lighting profile 520 is
additionally optimized for color matching of dental composites to
teeth. For example, in some embodiments, the second lighting
profile, e.g., 520 may be optimized to improve shade matching
between a composite resin 590 and a tooth 522 while at the same
time minimizing premature curing. As can be seen by the dashed line
labeled `W` in the graph of light output 704 as shown in FIG. 7B,
the output intensity of blue light emitted (e.g., in the range of
400-480 nm) by the warm white LEDs `W` may be sufficiently low to
avoid premature curing that exceeds unacceptable threshold. At the
same time, light emitted from the warm white LEDs may exceed a CRI
of 90 thus enabling improved color matching over white light
emitted by the light 116 that is filtered by an anti-curing filter
(e.g., 124).
It may be noted that in some embodiments, the individual LEDs
making up the alternating pattern need not be limited to `R,` `G,`
`B,` `C,` `N,` and `W.` For example, in some embodiments, infrared
LEDs `I,` ultraviolet LEDs `U` may be used instead of or in
combination with the aforementioned LED types. Such patterns may be
useful for hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupes where a first
lighting profile is configured to emit light having a typical
daylight, ambient, or other broad-spectrum white light
characteristics and a second lighting profile is configured to emit
narrow-spectrum light suitable for a specific application.
For example, in some embodiments, ultraviolet-emitting LEDs `U` may
be used in forensic applications to detect biological fluids such
as urine, semen, and so forth. In other embodiments, near-infrared
emitting LEDs "I" may be used in connection with procedures
involving skin and/or eyes. In such embodiments, the hands-free
spectral tuning of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
may enable the practitioner to more accurately and efficiently
perform the procedure under suitable first and second lighting
profiles lighting profile
FIG. 7D is a schematic block diagram illustrating a perspective
view of the LED module 702 of FIG. 7A with a diffuser 708. In some
embodiments, the diffuser 708 may be disposed between the one or
more light emitting diodes of the LED module 702 and the area to be
illuminated. For example, in some embodiments, the diffuser 708 may
encapsulate the one or more LEDs included in the LED module 702. In
other embodiments, the diffuser 708 may be may be disposed at a
distance from the one or more LEDs of the LED module 702.
In some embodiments, the diffuser 708 may minimize spectral
gradients within the illuminated area (e.g., from tooth to tooth in
a patient's mouth). In certain LED modules, spatial separation
between LEDs comprising an alternating color pattern within an LED
module may produce spectral inhomogeneities in an area illuminated
for performing a procedure. In some embodiments, the inclusion of a
diffuser 708 may minimize spectral inhomogeneities within the
illuminated area while allowing for fewer or more varied color
patterns of LEDs to be included in the LED module 702.
FIG. 8A is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an LED
module 802 that includes a checkerboard, e.g., an alternating
pattern of cool-white LEDs `C` and warm-white LEDs `W.` In some
embodiments, 802 may include a significant number of warm white
LEDs "W" that exceeds the number of cool white LEDs `C` by a
predetermined amount. For example, the LED module 802 illustrated
in FIG. 8A includes 24 warm white LEDs `W` and 18 cool white LEDs
`C`.
In some embodiments, the spectrally-tunable lighting module 216 may
include an LED module like LED module 802 that consists only of
cool white LEDs `C` and warm white LEDs `W.` One source for an LED
module that includes an alternating pattern of warm white LEDs and
cool white LEDs is the Vesta" series tunable 9 mm Array available
from BridgeLux of 46430 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, Calif. 94538.
In some embodiments, a benefit of having a significant number of
warm white LEDs, and neutral white LEDs is that the first lighting
profile, e.g., 518 and the second lighting profile, e.g., 520 may
be high flux profiles emitting a typical flux of 1000 lumens or
more. In such embodiments, the housing, e.g., 222 may be designed
to channel heat away from a wearer's head, and the power manager
244 may control the power provided to the LED driver 406 to limit
maximum power output to predetermined periods of time.
In some embodiments, each of the LEDs in LED module 802 has a CRI
of greater than 90. However, the first lighting profile, e.g., 518
may be optimized for shade matching and the second lighting profile
520 may be optimized to minimize premature curing. Neither profile
need be limited to profiles where all LEDs of a particular color
temperature are turned on or where all LEDs of particular color
temperature are turned off Instead, the first lighting profile 518
may turn on a predetermined pattern of more cool white LEDs `C`
turned on and fewer warm white LEDs `W` turned on.
Similarly, the second lighting profile 520 may turn on a
predetermined pattern of more warm white LEDs `W` turned on and
fewer cool white LEDs `C` turned on. Additionally, the intensity of
one or more LEDs of a particular color or type may vary in
accordance with an application defined in a first lighting profile
and a second lighting profile.
FIG. 8B is a graph comparing the relative spectral power
distribution by light wavelength for the LED module of FIG. 8A. In
some embodiments, the peak output of the warm white LEDs `W` may
exceed peak output of the cool white LEDs `C.`
FIG. 8C is a chart 806 illustrating the relative impact of a cool
white LEDs `C` like those shown in FIG. 8a and a warm white LED `W`
like those shown in FIG. 8A on premature curing of a light-cured
resin composite. An experiment was performed using a cool white LED
having a color temperature of about 6000K and a warm white LED
having a color temperature of about 2700K.
The procedure for determining values for the chart 806 of premature
curing was substantially the same as described above with respect
to FIG. 6D. With only cool white light `C` being emitted as shown
in dotted line `C` of graph 804 in FIG. 8B, the time to curing tC
was 90 seconds and with only warm white light being emitted as
shown in dashed line `W` of graph 804 the time to curing tW was 360
seconds.
FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an external device
420 that includes a first hands-free interface 902 such as a
speaker and a second hands-free interface 908 such as a microphone.
The external device 420 may further include a touchscreen display
906 by which a user may communicate commands other than hands-free
lighting commands between the external device 420 and the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200. For example, a user
may use the touchscreen display 906 to set and/or view a particular
color temperature to be associated with a particular first lighting
profile such as first lighting profile 518.
The touchscreen display 906 may also display a menu 910 or other
controls. In some embodiments, the external device 420 includes a
sensor 904 which may be, for example, a camera or a light sensor.
In some embodiments, the sensor 904 may be used to detect gestures
related to lighting commands. In other embodiments, the sensor 904
may be used as a calibration input for the spectrally-tunable
lighting module 216.
For example, a user may position the spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216 so that it emits light into the sensor 904. The sensor
904 may detect the emitted light and determine whether the color
temperature, intensity, or other lighting characteristics match the
expected characteristics for the current lighting commands or
lighting profile communicated to the spectrally-tunable lighting
module 216.
In some embodiments, the external device 420 may be a smartphone
428. In other embodiments, the external device 420 may be a
computing device 422 such as a tablet, a laptop, a computer, a
dental instrument, or a medical instrument. The external device 420
may include a touchscreen display 906 and one or more hands-free
interfaces such as first hands-free interface 902 and second
hands-free interface 908.
A user of the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 may use
the touchscreen display 906 of the external device 420 prior to a
procedure to set up a general profile 466 or to select from
different options displayed on a menu 910
FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method 1000 for
illuminating an area for one or more procedures. In at least one
embodiment, the method 1000 begins and includes receiving 1002 at a
loupe one or more lighting commands via a hands-free interface to
adjust one or more color characteristics of light emitted from a
spectrally-tunable lighting module for the loupe.
In the at least one embodiment, the method 1000 continues and
includes communicating 1004 the one or more lighting commands for
the one or more procedures to the spectrally-tunable lighting
module of the loupe. The method 1000 continues and further includes
illuminating 1006 an area for performing the one or more procedures
in response to the one or more lighting commands communicated to
the spectrally-tunable lighting module of the loupe, and the method
1000 ends.
In some embodiments, the loupe of the method 1000 at which the one
or more lighting commands is received may be, for example, the
hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe 200 substantially as
described above with respect to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A-5D, and
6A-6D. In some embodiments of the method 1000, the one or more
lighting commands may be lighting commands such as first lighting
commands 606a and second lighting command 606b associated that are
associated with one or more first and second lighting profiles
e.g., 518, 520 that are each configured to provide suitable
lighting for the one or more procedures.
In some embodiments, receiving 1002 the lighting commands may
include receiving commands to adjust one or more color
characteristics of light emitted from a spectrally-tunable lighting
module for the loupe where the color characteristics are chosen
from the group consisting of color temperature, color rendering
index, and intensity.
In some embodiments, the hands-free spectrally-tunable smart loupe
of the method may include a spectrally-tunable lighting module 216
that includes an LED module 404 which may include multiple LEDs
configured as illustrated in LED modules 602, 702, 802, or as in
other configurations in accordance with the apparatuses and systems
described with respect to FIGS. 2A-9.
In some embodiments, illuminating 1006 an area for performing one
or more procedures may refer to an area for performing one or more
dental procedures, one or more surgical procedures, and/or one or
more medical procedures. In other embodiments, illuminating 106 an
area for performing one or more procedures may refer to an area for
performing one or more art restoration procedures, jewelry
procedures, counterfeit detection procedures, and the like.
This description uses examples to disclose the invention and also
to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention,
including making and using any devices or systems and performing
any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is
defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to
those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be
within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements
that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if
they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial
differences from the literal language of the claims.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The
described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as
illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is,
therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the
foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning
and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within
their scope.
* * * * *
References